Younger Than You'd Think
by Lady Saffron of the Daggers
Summary: They're both at the end of their long lives. We get to see Daine's thoughts on Numair's passing away in her arms and what happens afterwards. It IS a death fic, but it's not sad. DN


**Disclaimer: I don't own any recognizable characters, or the names of unrecognized characters.**

**A/n: I wrote this one-shot during a few boring classes near the middle of the school year a while ago, so I've tried to edit it and make it better, not that I've changed it a lot.**

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"Dad, please hold on. Neal is coming. He'll be here soon," a teary eyed woman said, gripping the large old hand tightly. The man in the bed breathed in one more time. "Rikash is getting mom. She'll be here soon, just hold on, please," she sobbed.

"Numair?" a soft voice called from a nearby room. A woman who was about fourteen years younger than the man cam in. She didn't even pause at the sight of her near motionless husband. Instead she dropped her eldest sons' hand and walked slowly over to the bed. She sat on the bed and looked at her daughter meaningfully.

"Come on Sarra," Rikash said, walking over to his elder sister and taking her shoulders. She stood and left with her brother.

Daine slowly and painfully lay next to the white haired man. "Wait for me," she whispered in his ear, while laying her head on his frail chest as it struggled for its last breaths. Her memory suddenly took over her mind. Images flashed past her eyes in what seemed like days. Her first meeting with Numair, Taking care of his hawk form. Endless lessons, showing him wolves, watching him use a word of power. Going to Carthak, thinking him dead, seeing him alive. Seeing his face first thing when she woke from her bout Unicorn Fever, going to the Realms of the Gods, finding out he loved her. Thinking he was dead again, getting married, the honeymoon, birthing Sarra, wars along side him, birthing Rikash, Arram, and Alianne, and a thousand other happy and sad memories. There were at least three other times she thought him dead.

Wheezing brought the woman from her thoughts though. She sat over him and watched his brown eyes open to look at her. In that moment she saw him as a young man. As he was when she'd first truly met him. His deep swarthy skin was smooth. Gone were the wrinkles and white hairs. It was now thick and black. She hoped he didn't see her as an old woman. The thought nearly made her laugh at the irony. As if reading her thoughts he reached up and cupped her cheek in his hand. "I'll wait youngling." Daine laughed and heard her young smooth voice, which had long disappeared as her age went higher. "I have to tell you a secret," he whispered jokingly. Daine leaned down to hear him. "I'll kill any man you marry after I die," he whispered before his lips touched her forehead in a ghost's kiss. "Goddess bless."

"Black God give you up when I die," Daine said seriously as the image of his old self faded to leave an old shell of her husband. She kissed his forehead and sat painfully just as a very adult Nealan of Queenscove entered. She shook her head at him and stood.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely.

"For what?" she asked kindly. "You did nothing. He lived a long enough life and he was ready." She appeared not to care at all. "Thank you for coming Nealan," she said quietly. She went to a drawer and pulled some papers out. "I'm going to the king," she explained as she walked past him and outside.

"Maybe someone should come with you, the roads aren't safe right now," Neal said, showing fear for the Wild Mage.

She smiled softly at him. "Don't worry. I'm never alone," she said, tapping her temple to signify the People's voices. "Come on kit," she called lightly. The blue dragonette walked in with a cane and looked at the man lying still on the bed. She trilled softly, opting for music more than words. "We're going to see Roald now Kit. Help me ready Shang." Kit handed her the cane and quickly walked out.

Moments later four adults entered the room in a rush. "Ma, you can't leave," Sarra said passionately. "What if you hurt yourself?"

"You're all adults, able to take care of yourselves. I have many grandchildren, and I'm old. I've _lived._ Let me go tell Roald his uncle is dead. If something happens then it happens." With that said she walked out and got on her readied pony. "Let's take the long way Shang," she said, patting his neck. Halfway through her trip her heart and chest hurt. She never made it to the castle.

Rikash found a young girl with a stubborn chin and curly brown hair while on his way to the castle to make sure his mother had made it safely. He knelt and brushed hair out of her face while checking to see if she were alive. "Who were you, pretty girl?" he asked softly when finding no pulse. "Why are you out here alone with no wounds?"

"Leave her," Shang said. "She's in peace boy." Rikash looked at the pony then at the twenty-one year old woman.

"Mom?" he asked in a choked voice.

"You don't recognize her?" the irritable gelding asked. "Wonderful son you are."

"Shut up!" the second Wild Mage yelled. He and Sarralyn had inherited Wild Magic. Arram and Aly had Numairs Gift.

The pony walked over to the boy. "Go home, mourn your sire. I'll take the letter."

"What letter?" he asked in surprise and confusion.

"To King Roald, she was bringing a letter," the pony explained….

Daine watched her son from a lake in the Realms of the Gods. "Do you think they'll ask questions?" Daine asked, putting her hands over the ones massaging her shoulders.

"Magelet, they're ours," Numair said holding back laughter. "Of course they'll wonder about your sudden change in age." He sat next to her and hugged her to him. "Did you truly wish to stay with me when I was old?" he asked the soon to be asleep Goddess.

"Why?" she asked, becoming fully awake again. "Do you doubt my love now that we _must_ stay together?" Tears started to fill her eyes.

He kissed her to calm the stiffness in her shoulders. His lips ventured from her lips to her jaw and neck. "Veralidaine," he murmured, "why did you ever think I'd doubt you?" He felt her fingers play with his eardrop. Sitting back with a sigh, he stared into her eyes. "Your love I would never question. Your want though?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Daine snorted at his silliness. "Come Storkman," she said while standing. "Allow me to show you my want."

He gripped her hand but made no move to stand. "Must we leave this spot to show me?" he asked, pulling her down and leaning over her. "This grass is softer than any bed, and you glow in the sunlight as though from your own life."

She stared into his eyes, perfectly comfortable. "And then we shall try under water next, shall we?" she asked sarcastically.

"What ever my Goddess wants," he said seriously. Neither noticed the setting sun or the firebirds. Their love in marriage earned them a temple, and all couples in Tortall wished for as prosperous a wedding as theirs.

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**Another A/N: If you found anything wrong or liked something about this I would appreciate your opinion on this. If you _do_ find something wrong please sign in and tell me so I can reply and explain myself. I don't yell at people, and I reply to every review I can. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and this extra authors note.**


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